Many black neighborhoods in New Orleans are perceived by outsiders as areas of decay. However, to photographer Michael P. Smith, these neighborhoods remain the preserves of a rich cultural heritage. Paperback.

This colorful journey demonstrates strength and independence while participating in important cultural and family traditions. An eight-year-old boy masks for the first time as Spy Boy in his Mardi Gras Indian tribe.

St. Patrick settles in for a much-needed nap after driving the evil snakes from Ireland; however, one clever snake escaped the ring of his miraculous bell. Just in time to witness the sneaky snake stealing the bell from St. Patrick’s side, Tulla mouse knows something must be done. She calls upon the help of her brothers, Ryan and Brian, because she realizes she cannot accomplish such an important task on her own.

What does the shamrock represent, and why is it associated with St. Patrick? What great Irish poet featured St. Patrick in one of his most famous poems? What is one of the best known legends about St. Patrick? These questions and many more are answered in this beautifully illustrated storybook dictionary, St. Patrick’s Day Alphabet, while exploring the history, folklore, and traditions of the Emerald Isle. Hardcover.

Each year, nearly half a million people flock to Savannah, Georgia, to partake in the city’s historic and grand St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Boasting the second-largest parade in the country after New York, Savannah hosts a legendary party where everything is green and everyone can be Irish for a day.

On the first Christmas Eve, all heaven trembles with excitement. Angels scurry to earth to sing the joyous tidings of Jesus’ birth, and the Star of Bethlehem sparkles high in the heavens. One small angel hurries to catch the rest of the choir; in his haste, he brushes against the Star of Bethlehem and knocks some of its star seeds to earth. The tiny bits of light fall from the heavens to spread magic all over the earth.

Belle Starr was a fascinating character in the frontier days of Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. A proud, sharp-tempered, and very independent woman, she wore six-guns over her velvet skirts, and was a friend of the notorious Younger brothers. When the popular press of the day painted her as the “Bandit Queen” of the West, she encouraged the romantic myths, though in truth she was never a criminal. Paperback.

Belle Starr was a fascinating character in the frontier days of Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. A proud, sharp-tempered, and very independent woman, she wore six-guns over her velvet skirts, and was a friend of the notorious Younger brothers. When the popular press of the day painted her as the “Bandit Queen” of the West, she encouraged the romantic myths, though in truth she was never a criminal.

This is the ePub/eBook version of this title. This is not the print edition.

Shedding new light on a legendary war hero, this picture book profiles the religious devotion of Civil War general Thomas J. Jackson. A professor at the Virginia Military Institute, Jackson broke state law by teaching reading and writing to black citizens attending Lexington Presbyterian Church’s Sunday school. He continued his classes even after being threatened with prosecution, because he wanted his students to become better men and women through education.

Take an afternoon all for yourself and sit outside with a gentle breeze and Stories from the Hearts of Two Grandmas. In a style as simple, true, and heartfelt as a glass of cold fresh-squeezed lemonade, two sisters reared in the hills of Tennessee share their wealth of Southern wisdom. Enjoy a right-at-home feeling with every story.

Through his writing, Pittman gives readers a sense of the South’s passion for life and devotion to heritage that still exists today. Readers feel present-day teen Joseph’s Southern pride as he struggles against old biases in the North, and they are able to sympathize with Jefferson Davis’s family as their adopted black son Jim Limber is cruelly taken from their custody.

Few today would not recognize the opening lines of one of the most famous poems in the English language: “’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house . . .” Written as a gift from a faithful father to his loving family, Clement Clarke Moore’s famous poem has delighted millions of people everywhere for over a century. Hardcover.

Sweetly Southern: Delicious Desserts from the Sons of Confederate Veterans is a mouth-watering collection of 173 desserts, candies, punches, and sweet-tasting snacks submitted by members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Members pay homage to their ancestors by submitting favorite family treats, including such militarily inspired desserts as Dying General Buttermilk Pie, Jeff Davis Pudding Pie, and Robert E. Lee Orange Pie.

From bringing home the new baby to dog training and the thermostat wars, Supermom has seen it all. She has negotiated peace over paint finishes, she has overthrown the powerful regime of the kitchen gadgets, and she has even pinned down the elusive wild teenager in the farthest reaches of suburban malls. But this mom is slightly off: she finds humor in her teenager’s unintelligible mumbling, in the dog’s flagrant disobedience, and in her husband’s merciless drive for the perfect dimmer switch. Paperback.

A holiday whodunit for kids, this story solves the mystery of who stole Tallie’s sparkly, twinkling, candy cane Christmas lights. Tallie first suspects the thief is the mailman, and then infers it could be her slobbery pup, Fuego. She soon learns, however, that neither is the culprit! To find out who swiped her lights, Tallie dons her spy gear—her ski hat, pink sunglasses, magnifying glass, and spy blanket—and sets off to solve the mystery.

In this energetic romp through a school’s last days before the Christmas break, the students are full of energy and are up to all manner of mischief. But the teachers are pulling out their hair trying to keep the students busy, while they despair over their own Christmas preparations. Who should come to the rescue? Santa himself, of course! And he arrives at the helm of a flying school bus, with presents for all the teachers and a promise to take care of their shopping for them.

It’s the day before Halloween, and to every teacher’s dismay, school has been overrun by princesses and monsters, Jedi and ghouls. In every classroom, teachers are struggling to keep order, but students have brought in their costumes to celebrate a day early. A group of girls sneak into the bathroom to exchange tiaras, and grotesquely dressed fifth-graders pretend to eat two younger students in the cafeteria.